


A Song of Love, Magic and...

by winter_mao_flower



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Demon!Byleth - Freeform, Fantasy AU, Half-Elf!Yuri, Multi, Vampire!Dorothea, Werewolf!Ferdinand, Wizard/Mage!Ashe, implied/mentioned yurileth, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:14:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26273950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winter_mao_flower/pseuds/winter_mao_flower
Summary: Ashe is a mage and the owner of a bar that takes in both humans and supernatural creatures, and he keeps up with the news in both worlds, often exchanging information with his customers. Dorothea is a vampire songstress who is Ashe's beloved, often on stage and frequently sings, seeing the bar as home. Ferdinand is a werewolf who doesn't typically go to the bar, but after being framed for murder, he has no choice but to ask for favors and go into hiding.Ashe and Dorothea agree to help Ferdinand while his name is being cleared, and perhaps...they fall in love as well?
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Dorothea Arnault/Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert
Kudos: 9
Collections: 2020 Ultra Rarepair Big Bang





	A Song of Love, Magic and...

Ashe was quietly washing the dishes as Dorothea helped him clean the tables. A lot of customers had come in and while they didn’t leave too much of a mess...well, he ran a bar. It wasn’t always going to be clean even if everyone was trying to do so.

The sound of the rain mixed with Dorothea’s soft humming made Ashe smile. At this moment, he was content. In all his years of living, he’s been traveling from place to place. Most of the time, he was alone. Until he saw Dorothea that is. Things happened one after another and she began to travel with him. They’ve only just settled in and opened this bar around three hundred years ago.

While he was reminiscing, the door slammed open, revealing a person almost completely covered by the hooded coat they were wearing. Ashe readied a set of spells- two shield spells and one attack. Dorothea on the other hand, grabbed a knife that was nearby, gripping it tightly. They both looked at the figure in their doorway.

This person had long ginger hair, and they seemed to be at a decently tall height. Their face was obscured by their hood. They didn’t seem to be armed either- but that meant nothing if they weren’t human. As far as Ashe was concerned, they could be a demon who had tricks up their sleeve. For now, the three of them stood where they were, unmoving. There was only the sound of rainfall, and even then, that seemed much louder than it probably was.

“Um…” After a few moments, the person started to speak. “Is this...the Moonlit Melody bar…?” They spoke as if they were unsure and very cautious. As if...they were- oh.

Ashe quietly called off his spells, but also casted a different one- one that allowed him to tell whether or not a person was lying. “Ah, were you sent here by someone named Yuri?”

Dorothea glanced at him and cautiously loosened her hold on the knife.

“Yes.” They nodded. “A half elf named Yuri told me to come here.”

Not lying. “...Okay, but before I let you inside, could you tell me your name?”

“Ferdinand von Aegir.”

That matched up. There were also no signs of lying. Nor were there any signs of malicious intent. Ashe let out a soft sigh of relief.

Dorothea took this as a sign to relax. “Didn’t expect you to drop by so soon. Hope you don’t mind living here.” She then pointed at him with the knife. “But if you try anything funny I won’t hesitate.”

“Dorothea...he’s just staying for a little while.” A little while meaning however long it would take Yuri to find proof that this man was innocent. Ashe didn’t know how long it would take, but he estimated around a few weeks at least. “Also, you can come in now. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to stand in the doorway all night.”

“Ah- my apologies.” Ferdinand carefully came inside the bar and closed the door. “Where will I be staying?”

“There’s an extra room downstairs. Dorothea, can you show him where it is?” Ashe carefully strengthened the protection spell that was placed on the bar.

Dorothea sighed and put down the knife. “If I have to. You’re lucky I love you my little mage.”

Ashe flushed and shook his head. “I told you I’m a wizard, not a mage…”

She laughed and started walking to where the extra room was - it was a secret room under Ashe’s - before turning around and looking at Ferdinand, who was still standing there. He appeared to be apprehensive about the whole thing.

That was fair. He was a runaway and they knew where he was. Where he would be. They could very well report him to the police if they wanted to. Not to mention that relationships between vampires and werewolves have been strained since the war. Staying with a wizard was probably fine with him, but Dorothea was a vampire. She also threatened him earlier. It made sense that he wouldn’t trust them right away.

Dorothea sighed. “Ferdinand, right?”

“Ah- yes.” Ferdinand tentatively nodded.

“Listen I know you’re cautious about staying here. I get that, you’re technically a criminal on the run even if you didn’t do anything. I probably scared you a bit by threatening you with a knife earlier and our races were in a war at some point. But Ashe is a good person. He would never turn you into the police until it’s been proven that you’re innocent.”

Dorothea crossed her arms. “Ashe would also never allow me to hurt you or vice versa. So if you can’t feel safe with me, you can rest assured that so long as Ashe is here, you’ll never be in danger. Believe me, he’s probably stronger than the both of us combined. Right, my little mage?”

“I’m a wizard...wait that wasn’t the point.” Ashe sheepishly smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. “I wouldn’t say I’m stronger than the both of you _combined_ but...it’s true that I’ll protect both of you. Even from each other.”

“And there you have it.” Dorothea gave Ferdinand a very small smile - one that was barely noticeable unless you were looking - and he thought it was beautiful. Just like how he thought Dorothea was beautiful.

“I apologize for being apprehensive before.” Ferdinand appeared to relax before taking off his hood and Ashe was momentarily stunned by his handsomeness. “Yuri had told me that you two were very trustworthy people, but I failed to recognize that.”

“Ah- no it’s fine, really. You don’t have to apologize. And you don’t have to be so formal either you know.” Ashe smiled brightly. “Actually, you probably want to take a shower before you go to sleep. You must be tired, but it’s not good to sleep like that. I can make you a change of clothes with my magic too.”

“No it’s quite fine.” Ferdinand appeared to be somewhat flustered. “I don’t want to trouble you too much.”

“There’s a bathroom in the extra room too-” He shook his head. “You’re not troubling us at all!” Aside from maybe getting them in possible danger because of him, but that was okay, they definitely were no strangers to danger. They’ve seen a lot of things and been to a lot of places. Experiences that changed their lives. “Just go ahead and rest. We’re done working for today anyway.”

Ferdinand looked like he wanted to speak again, but Dorothea shushed him by placing a finger on his lips. “I don’t know how to break it to you...but Ashe can be surprisingly stubborn. It’s better to just do what he says for now. Unless you _want_ to continue this back and forth. You can tell us everything tomorrow.”

“That’s right!” Ashe smiled. “Tomorrow! We can close the bar for a day to catch up. No one really comes until it’s nighttime anyway. Rest well, Ferdinand.” Ashe waved to the other, who sheepishly smiled and gave a slight wave back.

“I will...make sure to rest well.” Ferdinand nodded. “I will see you tomorrow then.”

“Alright let’s get you to bed.” Dorothea lightly pushed Ferdinand towards his room.

Ashe sighed softly after they left. He walked to the door and took out his necklace from under his clothes. There was a charm in the shape of a bow and arrow, with a small azure crystal in the center. Rubbing his thumb against the crystal, he smiled and whispered the words for the protection spells softly, watching the crystal glow as he used the charm to place five layers of protection spells on the door and a spell that prevented Ferdinand from leaving.

He checked the spells afterwards to make sure they were set up properly. They each had a different purpose. The first layer would alarm Ashe if someone with malicious intent came, the second was there to prevent the person with malicious intent from entering with a simple barrier that would prevent them from entering. If they broke that barrier, then the third would knock them backwards with a little bit of force. The second to last barrier would send them flying backwards- while the last one was there to send shockwaves if necessary.

His goal wasn’t to harm the people with malicious intent coming in, but rather, it was just his goal to keep them out. Ashe had his reservations about the second barrier, but he had to protect Ferdinand. Yuri asked him to help him, and Ashe trusted that the half elf knew what he was doing. As for the very last spell he put on the door… It wasn’t that Ashe didn’t trust Ferdinand, but rather, if his spells were somehow broken, then this would be a last resort. The spell would prevent the other from leaving _and_ alert both him and Dorothea.

Of course there were exceptions- such as...if either Ashe or Dorothea explicitly told Ferdinand that he could leave. It was for Ferdinand’s own safety, but somehow...Ashe felt like it was the same as keeping him like a prisoner. He had to remind himself that these were necessary precautions to protect him.

After making sure everything was in place for the night, he put his necklace back under his clothes and continued to clean up the bar.

“Ashe, he’s in his room and is preparing to sleep.” Dorothea came back and sat on the counter.

“Thanks.”

She patted his head. “It’s no problem- but you shouldn’t go around and tell everyone you’re a wizard and not a mage you know. There will be people who might go after you. Wizards don’t have...the best reputation. The stigma against them still exists- not that it’s your fault of course.”

“I don’t mind. Wizards are getting a better reputation now. It’s not like before where they ruled and fell one after another. I’ve lived for a long time like this, so I’m used to it.” He shrugged half heartedly. “If people want to talk about me, then let them talk about me.” Ashe smiled. “You don’t have to worry about it-”

“Of course I have to worry about it…!” She interrupted him, firmly squishing his cheeks. “Ashe, don’t try to say that you’re unaffected by it. I see the sad look in your eyes when people realize that you’re a wizard. Recently it’s gotten better, yes, but...Ashe. You don’t have to carry everything on your shoulders. I know what it’s like to have people talk about you all the time, to have people’s eyes on you.”

“But Dorothea…” Ashe pried her hands off his cheeks. “...it’s because you’re beautiful. People talk about you and look at you because they admire you. Everything about you is…” He trailed off before speaking up again. “...Everything about you is admirable. You’re strong, beautiful, have a good singing voice…and you would do anything for those you love. Compared to you I-”

He was interrupted once again, but this time, with a soft kiss from Dorothea. Their lips parted only for them to kiss once more, slowly melting into each other.

“Ashe. Don’t you dare talk bad about yourself. I know more than anyone else that you’re not the wizard people make you out to be. From hundreds of years ago to now, you haven’t changed. You’re the one point that never changes no matter how much the universe itself changes.”

That wasn’t necessarily true, Ashe thought. He’s changed plenty throughout his life- it’s just that Dorothea wasn’t there to see the parts of himself he didn’t like the most. Even though she said that he wasn’t the wizard people made him out to be...what if he was? What if he knew it was true and that’s why he let people talk? Dorothea didn’t know- didn’t _need_ to know.

Or maybe she already knew his story and was just waiting for him to tell her. Maybe that's why she was so...okay with him. She already knew.

Dorothea gently held his hands. Her hands were soft but also firm, she pecked his cheek. “Listen, even if the world falls apart and turns their back on you, I’ll still be here by your side. Please believe me, Ashe.”

“...Okay. I believe you.” Ashe smiled. He wanted to believe that she would keep her word, so he would hold onto them like a lifeline.

“And, if you start to become the type of wizard people hate, the type of wizard that makes people suffer...I’ll stop you. I’ll stop you before you can become that type of wizard.”

“...Thank you.”

The next morning, Ashe woke up early to prepare breakfast for the two staying with him. He didn’t make any for himself though, he wasn’t hungry. They weren’t awake yet, so he idly stood at the counter, logging into his games on his phone.

He became lost in thought. Yuri had sent people to him before- to hide them away that is. They were only sent to his place if the case was going to take a while and if the person he hid away was expected to stay for a long time. For weeks- a month even. It was easy since no one would expect that he would hide them away. He also lived at the bar, so he would always be able to keep an eye on the people he takes in.

Yuri also knew the extent of his magical abilities - for the most part anyway - and trusted that he was strong enough to protect them. Of course, he did have many years of magic experience under his belt. That and he was very good at gathering information. Working at a bar had its perks.

“Good morning.” Ferdinand gave Ashe a small smile as he sat down by the counter, effectively snapping him out of his thoughts as he put his phone away.

“Good morning!” Ashe spoke cheerfully as he slid a plate of breakfast to Ferdinand. “Here, you must be hungry.” He wasn’t sure what werewolves liked to eat, but he figured that everyone liked the standard breakfast of an omelette right?

“Ah- thank you…” He looked as if he wanted to say something else, but decided not to and quietly took a bite of the omelette. A surprised expression appeared on his face and then he ate the food with a bit more vigor. His nervousness seemed to have disappeared as well.

Ashe smiled. “Does it taste good?”

“Yes…! It tastes magnificent. I believe you could become a professional chef.”

“Ahaha…” He laughed a bit awkwardly. “No, I’m not that good. Plus, it’s just an omelette. I’m sure you’ve tasted better.”

“No, in fact, I think this is the best omelette I’ve tasted.” Ferdinand then finished off his plate, a satisfied expression on his face.

Ashe carefully took the other’s plate and started to wash it, making casual conversation with the other as he did so. “How did you sleep last night?”

“...Admittingly, not well.”

“I see.” He put the newly washed plate on the rack nearby before focusing his attention on Ferdinand. “Nightmares?”

“Yes...I struggled to go to sleep last night and once I did…” He trailed off.

Ashe nodded slowly, before pulling out one of the drawers and looking through it. After a few moments, he presented Ferdinand with a bottle of lavender. “Here, this should help you sleep. I don’t know what good it will do with nightmares...but if there’s anything else I can do, let me know! I would cast a spell on you to help if I could…”

“Cast a spell?”

“Well, wizards and mages are different. While wizards have a broad range of spells- which are often elemental, mages can perform any spell within their...I suppose you could call it a ‘field of study.’ Mages might not have a wide range of spells, but they are very talented in what they do. Taking nightmares away and helping people sleep, that power belongs to the night mages.”

“I did not know that.” Ferdinand tilted his head.

He laughed softly. “Not a lot of people bother to tell the difference nowadays.” Which was a good sign of course. “While wizards have a bigger name for themselves, most people need the help of mages. We’re mostly here for...protection, in a sense. Though, some also choose to harm, and others choose to isolate themselves from others as a whole.”

The other seemed to be absorbing the information, so Ashe continued to tell Ferdinand the differences between the two. “Wizards are immortal- I mean, they can still die, just not of old age. Mages aren’t immortal. I...honestly don’t know why that’s the case. It might be because wizards are born with magic and mages have to find and practice magic themselves. Which is also why mages tend to focus on one area of magic.”

“So...if a wizard lived long enough, they could easily learn all areas of magic, whereas a mage will only be able to learn one area in their lifetime- assuming that they are the average mage.” Ferdinand concluded the information received quite well.

“That’s right.” Ashe smiled. “You’ll know if someone is a wizard if you see a specific mark on them. It looks like this.” He unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt and carefully pulled it down, revealing the mark of being a wizard just underneath his collarbone.

Ferdinand appeared to be fascinated by this, and looked at the mark with great interest. “It appears...to be similar to a bird.”

“That’s right, it’s a bird. A sparrow.” Ashe nodded and buttoned up his shirt again and continued his explanation. “The animal varies from wizard to wizard, but you can easily tell if it’s a wizard mark or not.”

“Hey Ashe...are you planning to make this into a lecture? You always end up talking a lot when it comes to things like this. Not that I mind. I enjoy seeing that sparkle in your eyes.” Dorothea’s voice came seemingly out of nowhere, causing Ashe to jump.

“D-Dorothea?! When did you…”

She smiled and pointed her fork at him. “A few seconds ago.” She pouted with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Ashe, how could you show him your body like that? I didn’t know you liked to show off so much.”

His face immediately flushed a bright red, rubbing his neck awkwardly. “Dorothea could you word that a bit...differently?” He glanced back up to see a light pink blush on Ferdinand’s cheeks. In that moment, Ashe had a startling realization that Ferdinand was quite handsome - pretty even - and he looked away from Ferdinand too before the other could notice.

“Alright alright, you get flustered so easily despite your age. It’s hard not to tease you when you look so cute.”

“D-Dorothea.” Ashe shook his head. Despite his age...well, he _was_ older than most wizards and he was probably the oldest in this very bar. So he couldn’t really _say_ anything.

She sent a flying kiss his way and he felt himself short circuiting. In an attempt to stabilize himself and his thoughts, he created a very small sphere of water in his hands, slowly making it larger and smaller. It was a trick he used in cases where he wanted to calm himself down. Larger...smaller...larger...smaller… He did this until he calmed down.

“So.” Dorothea slid the plate over to Ashe as she took the last bite of her meal, addressing Ferdinand this time. “What did you do in order to get in this situation? The only reason why you’re here, is because you were caught up in something and Yuri bird knows that you’re innocent.” She pointed her fork at him. “But the situation is complicated, so you might have to stay here for a few weeks- or even a month.”

Ashe frowned. “Ferdinand, you don’t have to tell us if you don’t want t-”

“No. He _has_ to tell us, Ashe. I want to know what we’re dealing with.” Her tone of voice was nothing like it was with Ashe- her playfulness was gone and it was replaced with an interrogating tone. Even containing hints of bitterness. “Plus, we’re hiding him away. We deserve to know at least this much.”

The look in Dorothea’s eyes told Ashe that he should stay out of this for now. He knew her hate for werewolves went deep- it was...understandable. He was there during the war and witnessed the effect it had plus, it wasn’t his place to speak on this matter. Some scars took much more time to heal than others, and this was one of them.

“...” Ferdinand played with a strand of his long hair before taking in a deep breath and exhaling, a solemn expression on his face as he slowly spoke. “I was...framed for murder. Murdering my family, that is.”

“Your family?” Ashe faintly recalled hearing people talk about that incident. But of course, there were no useful details in the rumors. The Aegir family was quite well known, though they weren’t necessarily liked by a lot of people.

“Yes. The...murder appears to be more complicated than they initially thought. My father is an influential politician who has, admittingly, made many enemies. I believe one of them has decided to take revenge on what he has done to them. Perhaps they became consumed with bloodlust as well and killed the rest of my family.”

“...Hmm, but that brings up an important question.” Dorothea crossed her legs. “If they killed the rest of your family, why did they leave only you alive?”

“...Truthfully, I do not know.” Ferdinand frowned.

“Okay so…” Ashe moved to sit near them before addressing Ferdinand. “Where were you when the murder took place?” This was starting to feel like an interrogation...except it wasn’t him that was being interrogated.

“I was walking away from my father’s study. He handled a situation quite poorly and I planned to lecture him. We got into a small argument afterwards about our viewpoints. I admit, on that day he was being rather persistent with trying to get me to agree to his views.” Ferdinand frowned. “I walked out from my father’s study afterwards, not wanting to listen to him anymore, but I can’t remember anything after that.”

“You...can’t remember?” Ashe glanced at Dorothea to see her reaction, only to find that she held a conflicted expression in her eyes.

Ferdinand shook his head. “I blacked out afterwards...though, when I woke up my head was throbbing, so I assume I was struck in the head. I was also holding my dagger bathed with blood in my hand. It was a dagger that was made for me a long time ago, a custom made one.”

“A...custom made dagger?”

“Yes- though I no longer have it. It was taken in as evidence. Yuri mentioned that it would’ve looked suspicious had he not received it as soon as he saw it, so…”

Ashe frowned. “Is that all you remember?”

The other nodded. “Everything from the time I walked out of my father’s study to when I woke up in my room...I cannot remember what happened. There are cameras within our household, but according to Yuri, someone tampered with the cameras.”

“Ferdinand...I’m sure Yuri will find something. I don’t think you murdered your family.” He said this answer with confidence, giving a reassuring smile to Ferdinand. Ashe believed in Ferdinand- not only him, but Yuri as well. This wasn’t a lie, he was sure of it.

Dorothea sighed and stood up. “Well if you didn’t kill off your family, it looks like you were framed. It was probably planned beforehand. Not only that, but there must be a lot of evidence stacked against you if things have escalated to the point where you have to hide with us.” She started to walk away, before pausing in her steps. “There must be something critical that can prove your innocence. Personally, I don’t trust you too much, but if Yuri and Ashe believe in you...that’s fine for now.”

He could only watch as Dorothea left. It didn’t seem like she was going to be warming up to him anytime soon.

“...She doesn’t seem to like me very much.” Ferdinand frowned.

Ashe shook his head. “Don’t take it to heart...it’ll take some time for her to warm up.” That is, if she ever decided to open up to Ferdinand at all. “Dorothea doesn’t like werewolves very much so...don’t take it too harshly.”

“Is there a reason why she doesn’t like werewolves very much?”

That’s right. Ferdinand didn’t know...but, Ashe wasn’t sure if Dorothea would appreciate him speaking on her behalf. “You’ll have to ask her for the details.”

Ferdinand frowned before shaking his head. “If the chance arises, then I might ask.”

“Sorry for not being able to tell you more about her.” Ashe sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “How about I tell you more about magic instead? It might become a lecture though…”

A laugh escaped from the other’s lips. “Okay, I don’t mind if it does become a lecture. There’s a certain sparkle in your eyes that appears when you speak about your interests. It’s quite endearing if I do say so myself.”

He turned away to hide the blush on his face before clearing his throat. “Well- en...endearing traits about me aside, I’d be happy to teach you more.”

“Then by all means, please go on ahead.”

* * *

Dorothea idly sipped her cocktail drink as she listened to Ashe talk with Yuri. They were discussing how far the latter was on the investigation for Ferdinand. Not that she cared too much, but she might as well listen to them talk since there was nothing else to do. She didn’t quite feel like singing tonight.

She noticed that she didn’t mind being around Ferdinand- and that she’s been less cold around him lately. He wasn’t too bad as company, if how comfortable Ashe was with him said anything. She was never alone with Ferdinand and the only times they spoke to each other was in passing, or when Ashe let them know how the investigation was going.

Dorothea gently tapped the counter. “Hey Ashe, can I get a refill?”

“Sure.” Ashe smiled as he poured her another drink before going back to talking to the other man.

Ferdinand wasn’t quite the werewolf she expected him to be. He was kind, almost infuriatingly so- always helping Ashe clean up the bar after they closed, or even helped Dorothea with stage preparations under a mask. ...he was no pushover though, he had his own beliefs he was willing to stand up for, and he wanted positive change. Knowing how he got into an argument with his father about their opposing beliefs, Dorothea could only imagine the type of man his father was.

He must’ve taken most of his traits from his mother.

The sound of a violin abruptly came from the stage, snapping her out of her thoughts. That was strange. Usually she would be the only performer at the bar. No one else bothered to rent the stage from Ashe, preferring to eat and drink instead whilst Ashe played jazz music over the speakers in the bar. No one has approached him to ask for the stage either. So that meant...

She turned around, seeing the person with the violin onstage with a mask. The mask hid their features well, but she knew that mask and the person behind it. Even if Ferdinand wanted to perform, was he willing to risk being caught? Dorothea gripped the cocktail glass a little bit tighter than before at the thought. Just what was he doing? After going through so much trouble just to hide him he-

And then Ferdinand started to play. All of her annoyance was washed away when she heard him play.

“Hey, did you get another performer to appear?” Yuri asked Ashe this question, a small smile on his lips. “He’s pretty good with that violin of his.”

“Yuri, you already know who he is.” Ashe leaned onto the counter, watching Ferdinand onstage, a small sparkle in his eyes. It was the same sparkle he had whenever he looked at Dorothea.

She was a bit conflicted about knowing that, but she found that she understood how he felt. Ferdinand was truly something else. The chatter in the bar ceased as Ferdinand continued to play the violin. His playing was moving- gentle, yet powerful. It was almost overwhelming and for the first time since Ferdinand arrived, she was able to look at him with the smallest of smiles on her face.

For a few moments, they made eye contact. Though, she couldn’t see the expression on his face when they did. Maybe he smiled, or maybe he just went back to playing the violin. The sound of the violin did seem to be a bit lighter afterwards- happier even, but that was probably just a coincidence. There was no way that he would’ve changed the tone of his playing just because they did a simple thing such as making eye contact.

Once Ferdinand was done playing, he bowed to the audience and a few heartbeats passed before everyone in the bar started to clap. If Dorothea wasn’t aware that this was a bar, she might’ve mistaken it as some sort of concert venue with how the atmosphere was.

He quickly departed from the stage, as the chatter in the bar resumed- almost tripping over his own two feet doing so. She let out a soft snort of laughter before going back to facing Ashe.

“I didn’t know he was so good at playing the violin.” Dorothea mused as she sipped her drink.

“Me neither. I know he asked me if he could perform one of these days, but I didn’t know he was _this_ good.” The wizard shook his head. “Anyway...is that it, Yuri?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Whoever was the real culprit _really_ made sure to wipe down their tracks.”

“I see...well, thanks for the updates.”

“No problem little sparrow. I’ll see you soon. Hopefully, with some good news.” Yuri stood up and waved to them as he left.

Ashe nodded. “I’ll see you.”

Dorothea finished her drink before handing Ashe the cup, speaking quietly. “I assume there’s no good news yet.”

“No...there’s no good news yet. But I-”

She placed her index finger on his lips to shush him, giving him a gentle smile. “I know. You’ll still believe in him. That’s the type of person you are. Just a little bit stubborn once you’ve decided on something...and more than anything, you want to believe in others. I’m a little jealous of that skill of yours.”

Ashe carefully moved her hand away. “Dorothea...You’re pretty stubborn yourself you know.” He said it in a lighthearted tone and carefully kissed the back of her hand. “But you’re reasonable about that, and you make sure I get back up every time I fall down.”

“Ashe…” Dorothea smiled and gently flicked his forehead. “Of course. A life of darkness and loneliness doesn’t really suit you, after all.” She stood up. “I’ll go ahead and head back first.”

“Right.” He nodded and paused. “Um…”

She waved her hand at him. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt him or anything. You’d stop us before anything happened anyway. You always have a sixth sense for these things.” Dorothea then walked back to where their room was.

When she walked in, she found Ferdinand at the desk reading a book. He seemed to be deep in concentration while reading...it made her curious. Just what was he reading about? Dorothea carefully leaned to the side to see what he was reading. It was ‘the history of magic 5th edition.’ Her eyebrow raised up as she moved to sit on the bed.

“Huh. You’re _that_ interested in magic? I wouldn’t have figured.”

Ferdinand jolted up and quickly turned to look at her- almost falling out of the chair in the process. “D- When did you get in here?”

“Just now.” Dorothea leaned forward. “So...magic, huh?”

“Yes. The history of magic is very interesting.” He nodded. “I wasn’t aware that there were so many types of magic users and spell types.” There was a certain gleam in Ferdinand’s eye that wasn’t all too different from Ashe’s whenever he got excited. Was there something about magic that caused them to have such similar sparks in their eyes? She only knew basic self defense magic, due to Ashe insisting that she learn.

“...Ah. By the way, your violin playing was wonderful, but…” She frowned before scolding him. “Did you _want_ to get caught? There’s no absolute proof that the mask will hide your features enough. I’m sure your face has also been all over the news.”

“Ashe put an illusion spell on the mask beforehand.” Ferdinand played with a strand of his hair. “To anyone that he doesn’t trust completely, it will appear as if I am someone else.”

“Is that so…” She paused for a few moments before shaking her head. “That makes sense...but why today?”

“You…” He cleared his throat. “You appeared to be more tired lately. So I temporarily stepped in for you as a performer on stage- though if that was out of bounds for me to do, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“You were doing it because...I seemed tired?” Dorothea blinked. Of all the reasons she expected, that wasn’t one of them. “...I have to say that I’m surprised. Pleasantly so. I don’t mind you performing, after all, the stage isn’t just mine. It can be yours. It can be for others who want to stand on stage and perform. And...well, it would also be a shame if your talents were left hidden forever. You were really amazing...playing the violin like that.” Her voice became softer at the last sentence, but she’s sure Ferdinand heard it.

“...Thank you. It’s a relief that I didn’t overstep any lines.” Ferdinand appeared to be thinking about something, before slowly speaking, as if he were unsure of whether he could speak or not. “Is...there a specific reason that you seem to dislike me? Have I offended you before? Or did my father also do something to you…?”

“...It’s because you’re a werewolf.” She didn’t look at him, but at the floor instead. “I mentioned it before, right? There was a war between our races. Vampires and werewolves...The werewolves in that war actually stole my family away from me. I don’t even remember what they’re like, actually.” Dorothea bit her lip softly before continuing. “Of course, I know that you had nothing to do with that war and that you’re...different from them. But my prejudice against them won’t go away so easily.”

He nodded slowly. “...I understand.” Ferdinand bookmarked the page he was on and closed his book. “I didn’t know that you...lived through the war. I apologize.”

She laughed softly. “Why are you apologizing? There’s no need to. None of what happened was your fault.” Dorothea looked at the ceiling. “If anything, I should be the one apologizing. It’s just stubborn old me holding grudges against them. But I’m sure...the pain I feel is nothing compared to how Ashe feels. He’s suffered for longer than we’ve known.”

“What do you mean?” Ferdinand tilted his head curiously.

Dorothea paused for a few moments before shaking her head. “You’ll have to ask Ashe about that. It’s not something I can easily tell you.”

He nodded before speaking again, “I will keep that in mind...ah, that is...not to invalidate your own pain.”

“It’s fine.” She responded quickly. “Really. Don’t...don’t act differently just because you know now.” She knew he was just being considerate but if he changed himself just for her...she didn’t like that feeling. “Just act like yourself. I promise I won’t try to...get revenge or anything. Ashe wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if I even thought about it. But also...I trust you now. To an extent of course.”

“...” Ferdinand smiled at her. “I see. I’ll try to act more like myself around you so that you’re not burdened.”

“Though if you’re a party animal or something I’d have to ask you to keep it down. I wouldn’t want you to go _too_ crazy with being yourself.” At the look Ferdinand gave her, she laughed out loud. “Pfft- I’m teasing you, it was a joke. Don’t take it too seriously.”

“Oh…” He had a sheepish expression on his face as he played with a strand of his hair.

She laughed again, this time, with Ferdinand joining her. Right now, she felt a bit lighter. This feeling...it wasn’t bad. She quite liked it.

* * *

“...I see. So things are not looking very well for me at the moment…” Ferdinand frowned as he spoke to Yuri. The bar was closed today thanks to Ashe, so there was no need to worry about others overhearing them. He glanced up from his tea cup to see Ashe currently polishing some of the glass cups while listening to their conversation, a frown on his face.

“Nope.” Ferdinand shook his head as Yuri spoke, focusing back on the conversation. “Sorry about that. At least there’s progress but...ugh. I want to strangle whoever framed you.” Yuri laid his head down on the counter. “They did it _really_ well, but it was so well-done that it’s suspicious. There has to be something they missed.” The half-elf looked up at him. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything else?”

“I’m sure…” He clenched the handle of his tea cup slightly, before loosening his grip. “I apologize for not being able to remember more.”

“No, it’s fine. I know we’ll find something.” He stood up. “I managed to convince them to have more time on the investigation. I’ll definitely prove your innocence.” Yuri gripped Ferdinand’s shoulder before giving it a firm pat.

“...Thank you for believing in me.” Ferdinand looked down at his cup of tea, blankly staring at his reflection gazing back at him.

“I have to believe in you. After all, I’m the one working to prove you innocent. I also took the risk of hiding you away just to buy some more time.” The other smiled. “I just ask that you try to believe in me too. After all, the Mockingbird doesn’t choose people easily.” After saying that, he left.

“...” Ferdinand sipped his tea before suppressing a sigh. It wasn’t that he _didn’t_ believe in Yuri, it was just that things were starting to look a bit bleak. Even if there was a little bit of progress, it wouldn’t have been completely enough to prove his innocence. Unless his innocence could totally be proven, he’d have to stay in hiding.

He also didn’t want to continue being a burden to Ashe and Dorothea. They were...very kind people. Even though Dorothea was cold to him at first, she began to warm up ever so slowly. Ashe had always been warm, but he also appeared to want to keep his distance from Ferdinand. The wizard acted as if...he were dangerous and shouldn’t have people come close to him. Despite his warmth, he was closed off.

“...Ashe.” He carefully started to speak. “I was wondering...about your past.”

Ashe paused in polishing the cups, gently placing it down. “My past?”

“Yes. Dorothea briefly mentioned it.” Ferdinand frowned. “That you were suffering for longer than we’ve known. I...I would like to lessen that burden on your shoulders if I can.” He looked directly into the wizard’s eyes. “Please.”

“...How can I say no when you ask so earnestly?” Ashe walked from behind the counter to sit next to him. “I guess I can tell you a bit. Ah and don’t worry. You’re not forcing me to tell you anything.”

He closed his mouth before nodding. “Right…”

“Hmm...well, I used to go by a different name. You might’ve seen it in books.” Ashe smiled. “I used to go by Aldric Ubert- it was a fake name. When you live for a long time...sometimes a name change is necessary.”

“...” The name did sound familiar, but where would he have heard about it? And then it hit him. The magic books that he read. “Ah…! You were the one who invented the first protection spells!”

“That’s right. Originally, there was no such thing as protection shields and spells. People were too focused on offensive spells...always wanting to attack others. Maybe it’s because they had nothing they wanted to protect, or maybe they chose to believe that offense was the best defense.” He paused. “I wanted to become a protector of the people. That’s why I made those spells.”

Ferdinand tilted his head. “A protector of the people?”

“That’s right. I worked together with a boy named ‘Loog’ in order to create a righteous and just kingdom. A place where everyone would be happy, where no one had to suffer from being discriminated against because of being ‘abnormal.’ I thought if everyone was united in one land under a kind and just ruler, things would turn out well.”

“But...things weren’t as simple as you thought, I’d take it?” He frowned. Ferdinand knew that Loog was someone in books created hundreds of years ago- if Ashe had truly been living for that long- throughout the entire history of the rise and fall of this kingdom he created with Loog, then...Dorothea was right. His pain was something that neither of them could know.

“Right. I had full faith in Loog and his image for the future. That he would do what was best for the greater good. I was his trusted wizard, taking over half the continent for his dream. But...he died before his plans could come to fruition.” Ashe gripped his arm tightly. “I had to become the ruler instead.”

“Such responsibility was given to you suddenly...did Loog not have someone else ready to rule? Surely there was someone other than you?” Ferdinand thought that...maybe he could see the picture now. Though, he wasn’t too well versed in history that far back.

The wizard shook his head. “No. He trusted _me_ to rule. His advisors agreed and...I had to stop conquering land. As you can imagine, I didn’t know the first thing about ruling, but I always had the people in mind. I wanted to do what was best for them and protect them as best as I could. But, things got...complicated though and a lot of stuff happened. I had to disappear for a long time. Long enough so that people would forget about me- about Aldric Ubert. Even now I still wonder...if what I did was right.”

He saw the way Ashe’s eyes were briefly filled with grief when he mentioned that ‘a lot of stuff happened’ and though Ferdinand was curious...it would be best to not press him further. If he did then it would most likely dredge up some painful memories for Ashe. So he simply reached out to pat Ashe’s shoulder. “Ashe, you were just trying to help people. I’m sure if others knew what you were thinking and why you made the decisions you did while you ruled, they would have better opinions of you.”

Ashe shook his head, a soft sigh escaping his lips before he smiled. “...I’m not sure much would’ve changed, but maybe you’re right.” He looked down at the floor. “It was a dark time. I went by a different name everywhere I went and I wouldn’t get close to anybody. I lost faith in everything and everyone during that time. I avoided towns as much as I could, but if I had to stay in one, I wouldn’t stay long. It was almost like I was the opposite of who I was before. Focusing on myself and surviving rather than helping others. And then…the war between the vampires and werewolves happened.”

“The war…?” He blinked. He saw no such mentions of Ashe in the history books- then he remembered that Ashe said that he went by a different name everywhere he went. So...maybe he was in the history books? However, those books may have been altered to present different facts… “What happened in the war?”

“Well, during that time, I got involved with people again.” Ashe turned to look at him. “I hid away the people who had nothing to do with the war and sheltered them in a safe place. They mostly consisted of children, but there were a few adults. The orphanages and the poor people had it rougher during that time. If I wasn’t there they...would’ve surely died. Since I was in vampire territory, I didn’t take much care of werewolves. If I did, I had to keep it a secret from the others.”

“That’s...understandable. I imagine the tension between the two races were at an all time high during that time.” From what he remembered, they eventually made peace with each other and it took a while before both could feel comfortable with each other again.

“The war was brutal...indiscriminate killing of either race happened and they had to live in fear...innocent civilians who had nothing to do with the war too. I had to protect them- I couldn't keep turning my eyes away after that. I actually met Dorothea there.” A fond smile graced his lips. “At first, I protected them because I happened to be stuck with them for a while. Dorothea smacked some sense into me though. She taught me to have faith in others and move on, and...she sparked my desire to protect people and work for a world without war again.”

Ashe stood up and stretched. “Ever since then, we’ve been travelling together, helping anyone we could along the way until we eventually settled down here.” He smiled brightly at Ferdinand. So brightly that Ferdinand’s breath was taken away. “Even now we’re helping people. It’s not bad. I get to talk to all sorts of people here too.”

“...You’re strong.” He returned the smile as best as he could. “I admire you.”

“A-Admire me? You _admire_ me?” Ashe appeared to be shocked. “I...I don’t understand.”

“...” Ferdinand held the other’s hand gently. “Ashe, I don’t know if you realize it, but...being able to come back from the darkness and _choosing_ to return to the light...isn’t something just anybody can do. People lose their way and maybe they stay on that path because they can’t bring it in themselves to find their way back, choosing to stay in the darkness until they become numb. But _you_ were able to come back by your own will. For that, I admire you and your strong heart.”

“I-I…” Ashe flushed, and Ferdinand had the strange urge to gently kiss the other. “But that’s nothing compared to you! I mean- you’re pretty strong yourself you know. Being able to have your own opinions and stand up for them even though the people closest to you might disagree...I admire _you_ for that.”

It was Ferdinand’s turn to become flustered as he opened his mouth to say something, only to close it. A few heartbeats of silence passed before they started to laugh. For what reason? None. But their laughter resonated throughout the empty bar regardless. He thought that Ashe’s laughter sounded nice...and that he wouldn’t mind hearing it over and over again. With a startling realization, Ferdinand realized that...perhaps he fell in love with the wizard. Maybe that was why his heart fluttered like this. But...Ashe was already-

“Ferdinand.” Ashe spoke after gathering himself together. “I want you to know that I’ll continue protecting you. No matter what.” The wizard’s tone of voice became serious as he squeezed Ferdinand’s hand. “If anyone tries to hurt you...they’ll regret it.” The pure genuinity in Ashe’s words made his breath hitch. Ferdinand was touched beyond words.

He decided to express his gratitude by gently kissing Ashe’s hand. “And I...swear to defend you from those who may tarnish your name.”

* * *

Ashe put a silencing spell around both him and Yuri as the other came in. He poured the other a drink and watched as Yuri down said drink immediately.

“Things are going well.”

Ashe lets out a relieved sigh as Yuri says this. He pours himself a drink and refills Yuri’s before moving to sit next to him. “That’s good.”

“Yeah, it’s great.” The other gives him a tired grin. “I’m buying us some more time, but I already have an idea of who the murderer is. The only thing left to do is get more evidence to prove it. But don’t worry, we’ll be able to clear his name.” Yuri takes a long sip of his drink. “By the time this is all over, I better get a raise…”

He gently pat Yuri’s back. “You can do this.”

“Damn right I can.” Yuri put down his now empty drink before standing up. “Ashe...this has to be one of the longest cases I’ve had. Sorry for making you put up with him.”

“No no, you don’t need to be sorry.” He smiled. “I liked having him around. His company is nice.”

Yuri raised his eyebrow. “Huh, well if you don’t mind having him for just a little bit longer then I guess it’s fine.” He gave Ashe a sly smile. “Though if you’d like for him to take... _permanent_ residence here with you I’m sure that can be arranged.”

Ashe’s cheeks became warm. “Yuri I…” He was about to deny the notion of wanting Ferdinand to live with both him and Dorothea from then on, but he found that he couldn’t. It would be nice, actually. Having both of them stay with him.

“...Heh. Well if it’s what you all want, I can arrange it for you. I’ll see you later, and hopefully, with even better news.” Yuri patted his head. “See ya.”

“Bye, Yuri.” Ashe smiled and waved to the other as he left before sighing softly. It was almost all over. It was almost over but he found himself wanting to have Ferdinand with them longer. A melancholy feeling settled within his chest and he shook his head. He couldn’t be selfish. This was good. This was good for Ferdinand. Plus, it wasn’t like they’d be terminating all contact between each other…

The sound of the violin being played snapped him out of his thoughts. Ferdinand was onstage today, with a dazzling outfit and his mask. Next to him was Dorothea who also donned a mask as she held the mic stand and belatedly, he realized that they were performing together. And _oh_. They were stunning when they were together and their stage presence was incredible.

Ashe couldn’t look away from their performance, their presence overwhelming. But as he was focusing on their performance, he noticed that they seemed to be looking at him- actually...were they both showing this _to_ him? The song was a romantic one and for them to look at him with such intensity like that- Suddenly he had to stand up and go back behind the counter and occupy himself with _something._ If he got red faced here, he would never hear the end of it from both Dorothea and his customers.

Actually, when did they get so close? Ashe thought he was the only one who had gotten closer to Ferdinand and he felt guilty about it- he even caught feelings for the ginger. But Dorothea appeared to be just as close to Ferdinand if not closer. He wondered if she felt the same way about Ferdinand as he did. He would definitely have to talk to her about this later.

He looked up only to see Dorothea blow a flying kiss at him and Ferdinand having a smile that appeared so content that it only made him shine brighter. Ashe had to look away and calm himself down again. For now he had to survive the night before even thinking about talking to Dorothea.

Ashe didn’t want to hide this from her until this feeling passed, if it ever did. He _had_ to talk to her. She was the one who restored his faith in others and helped him recover after his allies he trusted and the people whom he loved dearly had...publicly executed him. She was the one who brought him back to the path he walked before. He also loved Dorothea and didn’t want her to be hurt. Never wanted her to be hurt.

The rest of the night passed quickly, and he didn’t even realize it was time to talk to Dorothea until he flipped the door’s sign to ‘closed’ and locked up the place. He barely remembered asking Dorothea if he could talk with her later. He must’ve been too worried about this if time passed by so quickly. Ashe just hoped that he wouldn’t screw this all up.

“Ashe.” Speaking of her- she sat down by the counter and tilted her head. “What’d you want to talk about? Oh and, Ferdie’s taking a shower so you don’t have to worry about him walking in on this conversation. You _did_ want to talk about this alone.”

“Um...actually I recently…” He struggled with his words before saying it all out loud, very quickly. “IrecentlyfoundoutthatImightlikeFerdinandandIfeelbadbecauseIalsostillloveyoubutIjust-”

“Ashe. Ashe calm down.” Dorothea gently held his hands. “Calm down and try speaking slowly. I can’t know what you’re saying if you speak so quickly.”

“Right. Right I...I just...I might like Ferdinand in the same way that I like you- Of course that doesn’t mean I lost my feelings for you it’s just- The two of you are really important to me and…” He bit his lip.

“Oh, Ashe…” Dorothea smiled and gently kissed him. “To be honest, I’ve been catching feelings for our little werewolf friend too. He’s quite the charming man. My feelings for you also remain the same…” There was a short pause before she made a suggestion. “Are you okay with having another person in our relationship?”

“Another...person?” Ashe wasn’t expecting this response. “That’s okay? We can do that?”

Dorothea laughed softly and cupped his cheek. “Yes, we can add another person to our relationship darling. As long as everyone is okay with that then we can do that.”

It was like a weight was lifted off of Ashe’s chest. He didn’t know that relationships weren’t always limited to two people. The relief must’ve shown on his face, because Dorothea leaned in to kiss him again. Ashe carefully wrapped his arms around her and gently kissed her back. He felt better- much better. As if she was reassuring him and taking away all of his worries through the kiss.

“I don’t want to overwhelm him though.” Ashe gently spoke as he pulled away from her. “We should...probably wait for him to make his first move.” Though, he didn’t know if Ferdinand was...even into the idea of dating two people at the same time.

“...” Dorothea giggled softly. “You boys...you never fail to amaze me.”

“Huh?” He blinked confusedly. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Ferdinand had the same worries too. He talked to me about it one night after accidentally letting it slip that he held feelings for the both of us...after offhandedly saying that you were quite handsome and that I was beautiful.”

Ashe flushed a bright red. “R-Really?” So...should he not have worried at all?

“That’s right.” She ruffled his hair. “It’s not a bad thing to worry but, I find it cute that you two were worrying about the same thing.”

He sighed softly in relief. “So...should we...ask him?”

“Hmm…” She hummed, and just as she was about to speak, the soft tapping of Ferdinand’s feet approaching them was heard. “Oh, Ferdie. How are you?” She turned her head to smile at him.

“I am well. Though I…” Ferdinand bit his lip before continuing to speak. “I have something to confess to you both.”

Confess? There was no way he heard them right? Ashe doesn’t think he’s even _prepared_ for a confession right now. But...there was a part of him that desperately wanted it to be true. That Ferdinand was going to confess to them.

“Then go ahead. What’d you want to say?” Dorothea gently asked him the question, a knowing expression in her eyes.

Ferdinand cleared his throat before speaking up. “I...have...romantic feelings for the both of you. I don’t want to intrude in your pre-existing relationship, however...for some reason, I cannot push these feelings down nor hide them away. So…”

Ashe froze, a wide eyed expression on his face before he let out a relieved laugh. He took his arms away from Dorothea’s waist and walked to Ferdinand, leaning up to cup his cheeks and giving him a small peck on the lips. He was feeling many things- happiness, relief...the emotions were bubbling over.

Dorothea walked over and wrapped her arms around Ferdinand’s waist, hugging him from behind. “See? I told you he’d be okay with it, didn’t I? The both of you were worrying so much when your feelings were mutual.”

“T-To be fair,” Ferdinand stammered out, likely flustered from all the affection he was getting. “I didn’t know if the two of you were fine with the idea of having three people in a romantic relationship.”

“I...I didn’t know either.” Ashe confessed, and the three of them looked at each other before laughing.

Dorothea then leaned forward, still hugging Ferdinand from behind. “Then how about we call it a day? I’m in the mood for some cuddling.”

“Sure.” Ashe smiled. “Ferdinand, you’re always welcome to join us. After all...we’re all officially in a relationship now.”

“...Then perhaps I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“What are you waiting for then?” Dorothea gave them a small grin. “Let’s go.”

The night was peaceful as they fell asleep in each other’s arms. Not a single nightmare existed in their dreams, and they could all agree, that it was the best sleep that they’ve gotten.

* * *

Dorothea yawned softly. “So, what’d you need, Ashe?” She rubbed her eyes as Ferdinand took a seat next to her. The two of them were woken up early by Ashe, who told them to get ready to go somewhere.

Ashe smiled as he rested his elbow on the counter. “Yuri gave us some good news.”

She perked up a little. “What is it? Is Yuri bird done collecting evidence?”

“Yep. He’s going to be coming to pick Ferdinand up soon. He said we can go along with him just in case things happen.”

Ferdinand let out a sigh of relief. “So things are almost over…”

“Yeah, it feels like this has been going on for forever. A lot of things have changed during this time.” Stretching her limbs, she stood up. “Well, you’re almost a free man Ferdie.” Her expression became softer. “What’re you gonna do afterwards?”

The werewolf went quiet, before playing with his fingers. “I will most likely be returning to my mansion and clean up the mess...and inherit my father’s position.” A frown appeared on his face, and he didn’t make eye contact with them as he spoke.

Of course. Ferdinand lived a life much different from theirs. He couldn’t stay here forever, yet...she wanted him to stay. It was strange. Strange how much her feelings about Ferdinand could change so much in the span of a couple of months.

“But,” Ferdinand looked up, giving both of them a smile. “once everything is over and settled down...I wouldn’t mind it if...I would be able to return and stay with the two of you.”

“!” Dorothea looked at Ashe, who also had the same wide eyed expression that she surely had on her own face, before they both hugged Ferdinand.

“...Of course we wouldn’t mind.” Ashe sounded like he was close to crying. Tears of relief for sure.

She gave Ferdinand a tearful smile of her own. “You better get done with whatever you need to do quickly. We’ll both be waiting for you.”

“...Okay.”

Someone cleared their throat by the door, causing the three of them to jump apart from each other. Ferdinand himself almost fell out of the chair he was in- if it weren’t for Ashe’s quick instincts, the other would’ve found himself face flat on the floor. Dorothea looked to see who it was, only to realize that it was no one other than Yuri Leclair himself.

“Not to interrupt your sweet bonding moment, but we’re on a bit of a time limit here.” Yuri tapped his foot on the ground. “Also it’d be bad for Ashe’s business if someone came to check up on me only to find out that Ferdinand was staying here the entire time.”

“We got it…” Ashe sheepishly smiled. “C’mon guys, let’s go.”

They quickly went into Yuri’s car - which was nicer than Dorothea expected mind you - and Yuri drove off as soon as they were all in, with Ashe putting a protection spell on the car just in case. The car ride was peaceful for the most part. Small conversations passed between the four. About how they got together, the upcoming court case…

And then when they were almost to the detention center, a loud bang echoed throughout the area. A fireball was headed in their direction and had Ashe not place a protection spell on the car, it would’ve blown them all up. Yuri spoke out a variety of colorful swear words before turning to park the car into an empty parking lot.

“Goddammit- should’ve known this ride was too peaceful.” Yuri sighed and reached under his car seat to get his pistol ready. “You guys get ready to defend yourselves - not you Ferdinand, you stay in here - and whatever happens, don’t let them lay a single finger on the car _or_ Ferdinand.” He kicked open his car door and readied his gun.

Dorothea got out of the car herself and prepared her own fire magic. She was glad that Ashe taught her self-defense magic at least...though, she’d enjoy it more if the enemies came closer so she could kick them in the face instead.

The air became much colder, however, when Ashe stepped out of the car. When someone threatened to hurt the people Ashe cared about the most...he became cold and you got the chills just by being near him. Dorothea’s seen it before and she even felt a little sorry for anyone who was in the path of Ashe’s rage.

In that moment, multiple gunshots and projectiles were thrown at them. There was no way they could dodge all of that and leave both the car and Ferdinand unharmed. But, there was no need to try to avoid them. She had full faith in Ashe and his protection spell abilities.

Time appeared to slow down - most likely due to Ashe’s will - and she glanced over to see what Ashe was doing. He whispered his magic words softly- so softly that she wouldn’t have known if he said them at all. The wizard took out his necklace afterwards and she watched the small bow charm enlargen to the size of an actual bow. He made a few hand gestures and she felt warm despite the chilliness in the air.

There was a shield around all of them. Said shield was warm- probably because Ashe himself was warm. He wanted to protect them after all, but he also wanted them to know that they were safe. That was Ashe for you. She smiled and started to say the words to her fire spells as Ashe’s magic settled over her, helping her locate where the attacks were coming from.

Once she found them, time started to move at its normal pace again- the projectiles harmlessly bouncing off the shields. “Impatia Protugoe.” She released her fire spells and watched as they knocked out the ones trying to attack them. They would only get minor burns. Her magic skill level wasn’t high enough to make them burn, but she had the potential.

Hearing gunshots from the other side, she had to resist the urge to look behind her. Ashe and Yuri had it covered. She had to focus on her side.

“...Repsev Aivulcia Runalis.” Ashe’s voice was monotone- no emotion within it whatsoever. She shivered. The sound of ice shattering was heard and a few screams before there was silence. Dorothea didn’t see what happened, but she knew that he wouldn’t go so far as to kill them.

At most, they’d just be unconscious and just a little frozen.

Dorothea carefully turned around after the silence was extended only to be held by Ashe with one arm. “Are you okay?” His voice was rougher than usual and he was...so cold. The bow in his other hand only made the air colder.

“I’m okay Ashe, don’t worry.” The battle was short, but only because of Ashe. It was thanks to him that they were safe. “You’re cold, let’s warm you up, okay?”

He shook his head. “There could be more people waiting to attack you guys.”

“Ashe.” She cupped his cheeks. “If there were, then your magic would’ve told us, right? They’re unconscious too, so there’s no way they’re going to attack again. Especially if they got knocked out by your ice attacks.”

Ashe looked at her before knocking on Ferdinand’s car window. He was most likely going to be asking him if he was okay too.

Dorothea walked over to Yuri, patting him on the shoulder. “Well, you made the right move bringing both me and Ashe.”

“...Yeah, but man, sometimes I forget how scary Ashe can get when he becomes protective like that. I’m _so_ glad we’re good friends and not on bad terms or anything.” Yuri shook his head before opening the car door again. “Hey, we should get going now. We don’t want more people to show up before we get there.”

“Right.” Dorothea entered the car and after a few more moments, Ashe also entered. Once everyone was prepared, they drove to the detention center. The heater was on because Ashe still hadn’t warmed up, and no one dared to speak while he was in that state.

That wasn’t even Ashe’s full power- the power to take over the whole continent if he wanted to...that was Ashe’s power. She was overwhelmed by his power sometimes, but it was because of that power that Ashe could protect them. They were by no means pushovers though, and she worked hard to learn magic and self defense so Ashe wouldn’t have to worry too much. He limited himself from using too much magic power because he feared it.

She gently held his hand, squeezing it. Ashe looked at her and she gave him a warm smile. He paused before giving her a small smile back. The cold almost instantly melted away.

Yuri parked the car and sighed softly. “We’re here. I’ll escort Ferdinand in- you two can’t come out and be seen. You know the drill. I’ll be able to protect him, so don’t worry.” The last sentence was most likely directed towards Ashe himself.

Dorothea nodded. “Okay. Ferdie, this is almost all over so...come back soon.”

“I will.” Ferdinand nodded.

Ashe gave him a smile. “We’ll be waiting for you.”

“...I know.” The other smiled back and after a few more moments that Yuri had so graciously given them, Ferdinand left.

“He’ll be back before we know it, won’t he?” Dorothea smiled. “Soon we’ll be able to stay together.”

“Yeah. I look forward to when that day comes.”

* * *

Ferdinand stood nervously in the courtroom. Everyone’s eyes were upon him and it was like judgement had already been passed. They didn’t say anything, but their gazes said it all. They condemned him as a murderer. Someone who murdered his whole family. Even after the other two days where he could do nothing but listen as the people refused to believe.

Or rather- they didn’t _want_ to believe. Maybe they truly did hate his family that much. If he were to change his surname, or if he was born into a different family, would his life be different? Would he no longer be standing in this courtroom? But thinking about this was only him fantasizing how to run away from this.

“The trial for Ferdinand von Aegir will now start!”

After those words were spoken, Yuri had a faint smirk on his face as he looked at the prosecutor on the other side. This prosecutor was one of the best- or so he heard. He wasn’t human- in fact, he was a demon. His name was Byleth Eisner and he always sought out the truth in cases. Never fabricating evidence to get a guilty verdict and never ‘preparing’ his witnesses to keep quiet.

His palms were sweaty, and he did his best to stay calm. Today was the last day for his trial. He had to stand here and face forward. He knew he wasn’t guilty. They just had to prove it all today. Ferdinand had to believe in Yuri, and believe that he would return back to Dorothea and Ashe safe and sound.

Ferdinand watched as a woman named ‘Kronya von Alver’ was called upon to the podium, and how Yuri and Byleth immediately went into...doing their magic, he liked to call it. They acted as if they were arguing, but they were proving each other’s points time and time again, correcting the theories if they were wrong, and eventually, there was only one answer left.

“Your Honor.” Byleth looked at the judge, his facial expression unchanging from his normal stoic one.

Yuri continued, “We know who the true culprit is.”

Then, they both pointed to Kronya and their combined glares would’ve eradicated Ferdinand on the spot had he been on the receiving end he’s sure.

In a confident tone of voice, Yuri spoke first. “It’s you, Kronya Alver.”

Byleth followed up, their chemistry shining brightly within the courtroom. “Or should we say...Florence von Aegir.”

The name reveal shook Ferdinand. Florence was the name of a sister he held dearly in his heart- one who went missing after a conversation with their father caused her to leave the family. He never knew the details on why she left, but he thought it was because she couldn’t stand their father. During the trial however, they revealed that she didn’t leave on her own will, but rather, she was kicked out.

“...Fine. You guys got me.” Florence...no...Kronya was her name now. Kronya grinned as she spoke. “I did it. I killed the whole von Aegir family and tried to pin it all on Ferdinand. I’m sure you two already know the reason.”

Byleth nodded. “You wanted revenge.”

“After you were kicked out,” Yuri twirled his hair around his finger. “you lived a life on the streets. You had nothing. No money, no other belongings. Your father certainly didn’t spare any remorse as he kicked you out. Your life gradually became worse until you became an assassin for a private organization.”

“You practiced all of your skills in order to make sure nothing would be traced back to you.”

“But there was _one_ little mistake in your plan that showed us everything that transpired.” Yuri smiled as he held up the custom dagger Ferdinand owned. “It was using this and leaving Ferdinand alive. You were initially supposed to kill him too, but after a strike of...inspiration I’ll say, you decided to try to frame him instead. You probably thought there was no harm in framing him, plus, you’ll still get your revenge against the family.”

“The dagger was covered in blood. But it was your own.” Byleth crossed his arms.

The half elf nodded. “Yep, and when you put the dagger into Ferdinand’s hands, a small piece of cloth just _barely_ noticeable in your rush to leave snagged on. There weren’t any blood trails left after you stabbed yourself though because the private organization did human experimentation. The ability given to you was instantaneous healing to non-fatal wounds.”

“You didn’t have to worry about leaving behind a trail showing that you escaped. But then more holes revealed themselves as this was a last minute plan.”

Kronya clapped slowly. “As expected of the Savage Mockingbird and the Ashen Demon. Well, I guess I’ll be taken away now. Goodbye.” When she said the last word, she looked straight at Ferdinand, sending chills down his spine.

“...” There was silence in the courtroom before the judge cleared their throat. “Then...I pronounce the defendant Ferdinand von Aegir, not guilty!”

After leaving the courtroom, Ferdinand sighed softly in relief before sitting on the couch. All his energy was drained out of him after the trial. He looked up to thank Yuri for everything he’s done...only to be mortified when he saw the half elf kissing the demon - quite passionately mind you - in the middle of the waiting room.

“...” He looked back down. He would pretend that he did not just see his defense attorney and prosecutor making out in front of him. Only thoughts about Ashe and Dorothea were going to be in his mind. Not that image.

“Alright, let’s get you to Ashe and Dorothea.” Yuri sounded breathless when he spoke to him, and Ferdinand isn’t sure whether to continue to be mortified or move on. He thinks he should do the latter.

“Right.”

Yuri drove both him and Byleth to the bar, and upon arriving, the half-elf gently pushed him forward. “Go ahead. They’ve been waiting for you after all.”

Ferdinand nodded. “Right.” He carefully opened the door to the bar, and once he entered, he almost fell from the impact of two bodies slamming into him.

“You’re back!” Ashe hugged him tightly, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. “You’re really back…”

Dorothea gently pecked him on the cheek. “...Welcome home.”

“...” Upon hearing those two words, he almost wanted to tear up. “I’m...home.”

They all looked at each other before hugging again. Ferdinand truly did feel like he was at home. In a _real_ home and not just a cold mansion.

“Hey Byleth, don’t just take all the meat…”

Ferdinand blinked as he looked over Ashe and Dorothea to see Yuri and Byleth getting food onto their plates.

“I can’t believe you’re eating without us.” Dorothea shook her head and sighed. “Couldn’t you have waited until we had our...romantic seeing each other moment?”

“Well...it’s fine, isn’t it?” Ashe smiled. “After all, we’ll be spending a lot more time together.”

“Yeah, what the sparrow said. Don’t be in such a rush to get all lovey dovey.”

Dorothea and Yuri both looked at each other with challenging gazes before they turned away and started to snicker. Like a chain effect, everyone else including Ferdinand started to laugh. He felt...extremely warm and thankful that he was able to meet them.

They may have had a rough start, but all he could think about was them in the now and their future together. He held them close to his heart and he loved them dearly- and his feelings were reciprocated. That was all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> and this was my submission for the ultra rarepair big bang! artists for this piece are @Bananly and @artofmimih on twitter!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed reading


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